Yigael's Wall Comments On Having Gear Stolen

California metallers Yigael's Wall have issued the following statement about recently having their gear stolen:

"Abhorrence. This is certainly the word which best describes the emotion we feel for the actions and character of rats. Whether it is physical or intellectual property, the abhorrence we harbor for the sub-civilized actions of The Rat is overwhelming. In a culture of ‘get rich quick’ and ‘me above all others’ mindsets, its often difficult for some among us to have the decency to stop and say, ‘Hey wait. That doesn’t belong to me. Therefore, it’s not mine and I have no right to possess it!’ Most of us work hard to achieve our goals, whether they are creative or financial. We understand that very little is ever handed to us and hard work and dedication are noble virtues that, in a just world, are rewarded. However, there are some among us who would chose to take the low road and profit from the long hard road traveled by those who see hard work and dedication as something to be overlooked, dismissed or even ridiculed.

"The life of an artist is a difficult one. It is full of rejection, uncertainty and financial woes. These are realities that most people understand-the artist most of all. Musicians are a strange breed. It seems we can be divided in two categories; The Artists and The Rats. The artists are lovers of music and their craft. They do what they do because they love it. We can’t think of anyone we’ve ever met that was forced to play music. No one ever said to us, ‘Pick up that guitar and play it or else!’ We all pick up and instrument and learn to play it because we choose to do so. The Artist embarks on this endeavor with an understanding of the beasts that surrounds him. He does what he does and often suffers greatly as a consequence. He is driven by a love of his craft and the belief that he, is in some way, contributing something to the lives of others and the world as a whole.. This may or may not be the case, but these along with an indescribable passion to create and express oneself are the prime motivations of any true artist!

"The Rats, on the other hand, are an entirely separate species all together. For them, music is just another commodity, or a means to an end. It’s a way to get rich quick, attract the opposite sex, receive emotional affirmation, or an excuse to engage in fringe or illegal activities. The rat is content riding in the bowels of the captain’s ship and scurrying around the cornfield gnawing at the roots until it’s had it’s fill. They are opportunists-pests that will infest and destroy. They seek out weakness and vulnerabilities and will sink the ship they are sailing on with out the intelligence to understand that in the bowels of this boat they will surely drown. The Rat will carry off the harvest to it’s own den or gnaw away or plunder the tools of the craftsman. A lowly creature it is indeed.

"However crops can be replanted and tools forged again. This is what the Artist does. He cultivates his creative crop-sowing seeds and pruning and perfecting until he is ready to bring them to market. Stealing his tools is just a setback. There will be another season. There will be another set of tools-better tools-new and improved. And the Rat will be low in his hole with the knowledge that he has not stopped the artist. He will be back, wiser and prepared for another infestation. He may try to use the artist’s tools to plant his own field with the seeds it has stolen. This is doomed to failure for the artist knows his seeds and his tools and how they work and how they grow. He can grow another crop of the same flavor. And those who have tasted the fruit of the Artist labors and understand the hard work that he has done with his tools know the field from which it was born and watch him about his labor of love with his shiny new tools. An artist he is born, an artist he dies…only with different tools.

"So cheers to the ones who stole Shane and Vin’s gear! Enjoy. We’ll enjoy our shiny new tools and continue to offer our cops at market to all those who are hungry for the seeds we sow!"